The Trees (Victor Steffensen, illus Sandra Steffensen, Hardie Grant Explore)

The Trees: Learning Tree Knowledge with Uncle Kuu is the second picture book by the team behind Looking after Country with Fire, author Victor Steffensen and illustrator Sandra Steffensen, descendants of the Tagalaka people. The book introduces young children to our relationship with trees and their importance to humans, particularly within First Nations cultures. Uncle Kuu, an Elder, guides a group of children into the bush to teach them about our amazing reciprocal relationship with trees and how the crucial balance between give and take is achieved. They explore trees in different habitats, including rainforests, around rivers and in grassy Country, along with the gifts trees give us—including fruit, bark and wood—to make useful things. The story shifts to a more serious tone as it looks at the disobedience of lores of the land and the impact of large-scale deforestation on the land and wildlife. The story ends on a positive note by acknowledging that things are getting better and encouraging children to plant and care for trees so that future children can enjoy them. The book ends with a song by the author celebrating trees and a QR code linked to a music video. Its simplicity and shareability makes it suitable for ages 3–6.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Angela Crocombe is a senior buyer and bookseller at Readings Kids. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

Category: Reviews